We Visit the New Adventure Playscape at Exploration Place
There are a few things we always try to do when visiting Wichita, Kansas: swing by Watermark Books and Cafe, take a short hike at Chisholm Creek Park, and pick out a truffle at Cocoa Dolce. In my ideal world, we’d also have time to visit the Sedgwick County Zoo, Old Cowtown Museum and Botanica – but that doesn’t happen often (in fact, I don’t think Joss has even been to Cowtown or Botanica). However, this time, we made sure to visit Exploration Place – Wichita’s science museum – to check out their new outdoor Adventure Playscape!
Ten themed zones
Overall, we were very impressed with the facility. The outdoor area covers six acres and features ten Kansas-themed “zones.” Joss’s favorite was the aviation zone, and no wonder! It housed several large climbing structures, including a towering rocket ship and two separate airplanes. Plus, you can reach the airplane area from the rocketship area via your choice of metal slides, climbing down rock stairs, or an accessible pathway.
It’s hard to get a sense of the scale, perhaps, from these pictures. But just know that the structures are so large, if you have a fear of heights, you may want to choose your routes wisely.
The bison, who oversees a wooden campsite, is twenty feet tall. While I opted not to climb into most of the structures, I couldn’t resist checking out the interior of the bison. It’s painted to look like bones and muscle! Was I a little worried about getting back down? Yes. But it turned out the slide was the easiest way. There’s also a fireman’s pole to slide down if you prefer, or you can always go back down the way you came.
Inside the bison
But don’t worry, not everything is at such a large scale. Younger visitors have plenty to enjoy as well, including the charming Sunflower Meadow zone.
And the combine! We grew up climbing a rusty old combine at Chisholm Creek Park, which as far as I know is still there. This can’t take the place of that in my heart, but is very engaging nonetheless 🙂 It’s down a fairly steep hill from a row of swings (including toddler-friendly and accessible options). You can climb back up the hill by rope, climbing handholds, metal “brackets” or a walking path.
Water elements
Those are just a few of the play areas. A couple we didn’t get to fully explore on this visit was the large water play area, and the “Foggy Flint Hills.” You could still climb and run around on the turf-topped hills, but eventually it will be filled with mist. Very cool!
Dining and resting
Because the outdoor play area is so large, you’ll be glad to know that situated in the middle of it is a patio dining area. And several family restrooms. You can order both grab-and-go items for a quick bite, or some that take a little longer to prepare, like burgers and flatbread. I opted for the veggie flatbread with balsamic glaze (my favorite!). It was delicious, but sadly, the day was so breezy the last two pieces just blew away onto the ground! Joss had some chicken nuggets and was happy with those. And the picnic tables were plentiful, so even on a busier day, hopefully there will be plenty of seating options.
Exploring the indoors
Because we spent so much time outdoors, I didn’t want to spend a lot of time inside before heading back to Tulsa. But one area we did really enjoy seeing was the “Where Kids Rule” permanent exhibit, which was under construction last time we visited. It’s a large castle with several themed rooms and a ton of interactive elements, and plenty of nooks and crannies to explore.
I finally made Joss show me around because most of what parents can see is a brick wall. However, there are several security cameras set up inside the castle area so parents can still keep an eye on their kids, even when they’re in the depths of the castle.
Admission
If you’ve been to Gathering Place, you may be thinking that the Adventure Playscape at Exploration Place looks very familiar. And we did see a lot of similar features. In fact, a Wichita Eagle article confirmed that it is inspired by Gathering Place. (Although you can kind of figure that out for yourself just by looking at it!)
However, unlike Gathering Place, the Adventure Playscape is not free. You must pay museum admission to access the playscape. Which, when we visited with three people (two adults and a kid), cost $60. So definitely be aware of that before you plan a visit! Add in the cost of food, and it was close to $100. A Household Membership at Exploration Place costs $150 – so that might be the way to go if you have more kids and plan on making the trip more than once a year. Kids 2 and under are free, and there is a slight discount if you order tickets online in advance.
Learn more about the Adventure Playscape, admission, exhibits and more at exploration.org
And if you’ve already visited, tell us in the comments which area your kids enjoyed the most!
